Hoa Sen ship, Hoa Sen cruise (stopped running)

With the new luxury cruise Hoa Sen (Lotus) ship leaving on its maiden voyage, travelers have a new transportation option for exploring Vietnam.

The ship is the first tourist one to sail Vietnam from north to south. The ship will depart from the northern provincial port of Quang Ninh and will dock 48 hours later at the Nha Rong Port in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Midway through the journey, the ship will anchor at Chan May Port in the central region of for eight hours for voyagers to visit the ancient capital city of Hue and UNESCO world heritage site Hoi An.

According to Vinashin, the ship’s owner, Hoa Sen was built in Italy and is “a three-star hotel floating on the sea.”

The seven-level ship is 187-meters long and 25-meterswide. It can reach speeds of 25 miles per hour and can sail through inclement weather, including Force 8 wind, due to anti-shock wing balance.

The ship is capable of carrying 630 passengers, excluding crew and service staff. It can also simultaneously hold 150 container vehicles and 100 cars.

The ship’s facilities, amenities and accommodations include a bar, a restaurant, film and musical performances, reclining seats, sofas for sunbathing, telephones, fax machines and satellite email.

Hoa Sen Ship was built in Italy in 2001 to meet the demands of a three-star tourism ship. Before working for Vinashin, the ship was operational on the Sicily-Central Italy route.

To date, the Hoa Sen is the most luxurious ship in Vietnam and is able to carry out a 48-hour cruise along Vietnam’s coastline.

Apart from three buffets a day, the fare also includes the tour price for destinations to Hue and Hoi An.